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Friday, February 9, 2018

Interview with Jennifer March Soloway of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher,represented by Andrea Brown Agency

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Jennifer
March Soloway is an Associate Agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. The
Andrea Brown Agency was founded in 1981 and has offices in the San Francisco
Bay area, San Diego, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. The agency specializes
in children’s literature.

Jennifer represents books for young people, picture books through young adult,
and also literary and commercial fiction for adults. Before joining the Andrea
Brown Agency, Jennifer worked in marketing and public relations in a variety of
industries, including financial services, health care, and toys. She has an MFA
in creative writing from Mills College and was a fellow at the San Francisco
Writer’s Grotto in 2012. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, their two
sons and an English bulldog.

Jennifer:
I represent authors and illustrators of picture
book, middle grade, and young adult stories, and I am actively building my
list. Although I specialize in children’s literature, I also represent adult
fiction, both literary and commercial, particularly crime, suspense and
psychological horror projects. (I like to be scared.)

For
picture books, I am drawn to a wide range of stories from silly to sweet, but I
always appreciate a strong dose of humor and some kind of surprise at the end.
When it comes to middle grade, I like all kinds of genres, including
adventures, mysteries, spooky-but-not-too-scary ghost stories, humor, realistic
contemporary and fantasy.

Young
adult is my sweet spot. I'm a suspense junkie. I adore action-packed thrillers
full of unexpected twists. Throw in a dash of romance, and I'm hooked. I'm a
sucker for conspiracy plots where anyone might be a double agent, even the kid
next door. And I am a huge fan of psychological horror that blurs the lines
between the real and the imagined.

But as
much as I love a good thriller, my favorite novels are literary stories about
ordinary teens, especially those focused on family, relationships, sexuality,
mental illness, or addiction. In such stories, I am particularly drawn to a
close, confiding first-person narrative. But regardless of genre, I am actively
seeking fresh new voices and perspectives underrepresented in literature.

That’s
my wish list, but the truth is an author might have something I have never
considered before, and it might be absolutely perfect for me. I am open to any
good story that is well written with a strong, authentic voice. Surprise me!

QBF:
Is there anything you see too much of or that seems
overdone these days?

Jennifer:
Lately, I've been seeing a lot of submissions with
dead protagonists.

Illustration by Aurore Damant,represented by Jennifer March Soloway

QBF:
On the children’s fiction side, do you represent
the whole range: Picture Books, Chapter Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult?

I represent the whole range of children's literature, except for chapter
books. I am also not the right person for novels in verse. I have tremendous
respect for poets and poetry, but it is not my editorial strength.

QBF:
Can you tell us about your process when you’re considering
a project. What grabs your attention when you’re reading a query letter?

Jennifer:
I love a tight, well-crafted pitch with a strong
hook, but for me, the most important aspect is the writing sample and execution
of the story. I will often read the pages first and then read the query
letter.

QBF:
How do you decide if a manuscript is worth
considering?

Jennifer:
Because our agency receives so many submissions, we
don’t have that much time to spend on each one. We only get to see a small
sample of the work, and we have to make a decision fast. Our submission
guidelines ask for a query letter with a short pitch about the project and the
first ten pages of a manuscript – or the complete text of a picture book.

Some
are easy no’s. For example, if someone sends me a nonfiction proposal for an
adult book about trickle-down economics, I'm going to pass. And some are easy
yes’s. If I love the writing and voice right away, I’ll request a full.

For
everything else, it’s not so easy. When I’ve been reading submissions for a
long time, sometimes I get what I call query fatigue, and I lose perspective as
to whether I like something or not. In those cases, I always err on the side of
caution. If I see potential in something, but I’m not sure, I’ll mark it a
“maybe.” I might go back to that project and read it several times to make sure
I’m not missing something.

QBF:
What makes you decide to represent a manuscript?

Traffick by Ellen Hopkins,represented by Andrea Brown Agency

Jennifer:
I am looking for something with potential,
something I think I can sell. I want to read the story and have a vision for
how the work could be elevated and polished. I also need to fall in love with
the story, the writing, and the voice.

For
example, I reread the first ten pages of a client’s young adult manuscript at
least three times before I finally requested it. Her writing is gorgeous at the
line level, but the first ten pages were quiet. There was drama, but it felt
subdued. Still, I knew something was there, and I requested the full. As soon
as I got past the first ten pages, the story kicked into gear, and I was
hooked.

I read
the novel in two days and completely fell in love with the story and
characters. Every time I put it down, I found myself trying to find a way to
get back to the manuscript. Best of all, I could see what might help make those
opening pages become more exciting and engaging, and I felt I could give her
the kind of editorial that would elevate her work even more. I offered
representation right away.

QBF:
Besides a great book, what else you look for in a
client? For example, do you want your clients to have a strong social media
presence?

Jennifer:
I want a strong working relationship with my client
with an open line of communication and trust. I want to click editorially and
find someone willing to revise and polish their work, so we can put our best
foot forward when we go on submission. Social media is less important to me.
However, if they have a negative presence, that can be a red flag.

QBF:
Can you tell us something about how you work with
authors. What writing advice do you give most to your clients?

Jennifer:
I tell writers to get feedback from a range
of readers. Share your work with others. Listen to their suggestions. Try to
find other people who can give you helpful, constructive feedback. Honestly,
sometimes those people are difficult to find. Editorial feedback is an art, and
it is often hard for others to communicate why something isn’t working. Listen
to that feedback anyway. If they find something confusing but cannot articulate
what or why, think about how you could clarify the piece.

Read
other people’s drafts. You will recognize in their writing the same mistakes
you are making but cannot see in your own work. Think about what might resolve
the issues you see and how that writer might elevate his work. The same
editorial suggestions might also help your projects.

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone,represented by Andrea Brown Agency

QBF:
What would you like writers to know about the
publishing industry? Or what would you like writers to know about agents?

Jennifer:
If you get feedback from an agent (or an editor or
reader), consider what they are saying. Literature is so subjective, and what
one person loves, another person might loathe. However, if you get the same
feedback from more than two or three people, think about how you might address
the issue they raise, and consider revising accordingly.

Take
your time to revise. If you receive a revise and resubmit request, that means
the agent or editor sees potential in your project but feels the draft needs
more work. Trust me, they won’t ask you to revise and resubmit unless they like
it.

If I
like something, I ask for a revise and resubmit. When I do, I always give some
kind of specific feedback. The same is true for those people I meet at a
conference. If I give you a critique and ask you to send it to me, I want you
to consider my suggestions and revise. That step is a test for both of us: I
want to see if you can revise, and if my feedback inspires you to produce a
better draft. And you get a sense of my editorial style and if I would be a
good fit for you. Win, win, right?

Unfortunately,
a lot of writers will rush the revision and send it back to me right away. When
they do, it is such a huge disappointment. I’m really hoping they’ll take their
time and send me something I can represent.

Please
don’t whip out a quickie edit. You don’t want to squander the opportunity. I
tell writers to take six or more months in order to do a deep, comprehensive
edit before they resubmit. Take your time! Don’t worry if it feels like you’re
taking forever. I want your next draft to be amazing, and I will wait for you!

QBF:
What would you like to say to aspiring authors?

Jennifer:
Writing is hard; publishing is even harder. If you
get rejected, don't worry. It happens to all of us. There is a lot of rejection
in this business at every level, and agents get rejected all the time
too. It takes guts, thick skin, and sheer tenacity to keep going. Keep
writing. Keep revising. Keep polishing your craft.

Most
of all, celebrate and enjoy your victories, the large and the small. If you
write a great scene, celebrate. If you find that perfect phrase, celebrate. If
you think of a dynamite plot twist, celebrate. If you get an agent, celebrate.
If you sell a book, celebrate. If a reader sends you fan mail, celebrate! And
then keep writing. Good luck!

If you’re interested in and finding
an agent or publisher (someday soon or down the road), don’t miss theHow to Get Published workshops on Saturday, Feb
24, in Oakville with literary agent Martha Webb (see here)and on Saturday, March 3, in St. Catharines with HarperCollins editor Michelle Meade and author Hannah Mary McKinnon (see here).

If you’re interested in Kid Lit, be sure to register for the Writing for Children and for Young
Adults mini-conference on Saturday, April 21, in Waterloo with literary
agent Barbara Berson, Simon & Schuster editor Patricia Ocampo, and Young
Adult author Tanaz Bhathena (see here) and Writing Kid Lit weekly class,Thursday
evenings, April 18 – June 13, in Burlington which will feature guest
authors Jennifer Mook-Sang and Kira Vermond (see here).

And don’t miss Writing and Revising on Saturday, Feb 10,
in Guelph (see here), How to Write Great
Dialogue, Sunday,
Feb 11, in Windsor (see here),
and Writing Your
Life with
guest Ross Pennie, on Saturday, March 10, in Toronto (see here).

The hottest ticket of the spring season, though, may be How to Write a Bestseller with New York Times
#1 bestselling author Kelley Armstrong on Saturday, March
24, in Caledon at the Bolton Library (see here). ~
Contrary to rumour, there are still plenty of spaces for this workshop – but
don’t hold off registering too long!

Brian also
offers a full range of weekly writing classes, from introductory to intensive:

Navigation tips: Always check out the
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Brian Henry has been a book editor, writer, and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He teaches creative writing at Ryerson University. He also leads weekly creative writing courses in Burlington, Mississauga, Oakville and Georgetown and conducts Saturday workshops throughout Ontario. His proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get published.